Electroplating anode



Patented Nov. 20, 19239.

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tamsa artas rai-tas narant oarie.

ED'WIN lVI. BECK, OF GREENSBURG, INDIANA.

ELEeTnorLATING Anonn.

Application filed July 5,

Clear, and exact description, refereiice being liad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification.

The present iiivention i'elates to anodes for electroplating.

In present practice tlie anode employed in electroplating is constructed simply of a mass or bar of the plating metal. s this metal is dissolved during tlie plating prosess, tlie bar decieases in mass, and this` decrease in certain instances is progressively more rapid from the eiids towards the middle of the bar. It thus happens that at a certain period, wliere. however, the anode still contains a sutticient mass of metal in the aggregate, the bar by reason of the lack of surface, especially towards the middle of its length, becomes useless and must be discarded. On resale as junk more- 'over, the disearded metal is of very. much depi'eciated value. T-he principal object of this iiivention therefore, is to provide in an electroplating anode an electrically Conduct/ive core of relati-vely inexpensive metal, and an enveloping sheath of the plating metal; virtually the entire amount of plating metal on the anode may thus be used, after which, if'desii'ed, the core may be recovered with plating metal.

further object of this` inveution is to.

provide in an electroplating anode havingr a core and eiivelopingr sliea'th of plating metal, as above set fort'h, an increased mass of plating metal interinediate the eiids of the bar, the same preferably taperiiin` towards said ends; ,the dissolution of the plating metal tlius, while more rapid towards the middle of the bar, reaches the core practically at the same time thruout the length of the anode, permitting the etficient use of the anode until virtually all of the plat-ing metal has been eonsumed.

In the drawings:--

Figure l is an elevationof an anode constructed in accordance with this invention viewed from the side of its smaller dimension.

Figure 2 is lan elevation l.showi'ngfthe broader dimension.

1922. Sel-iai No.`57`2,794.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section of ,anI

anode taken at a point near the end.

Figure 4 is a middle section of the anode. The nuineral il indicates a cylindrical core constructed preferably of iron or steel.

The core l is adapted tobe Secured by one or both of its ends in the positive terininal g of the electijoplating tank in the usual infanner, so that the anode may be imniersed inv the electrolyte and must, of course, be electrically conductiven The core 1 is provided with an envelopiiig shcatli or body 2 of'any desired plating metal as -for'iiistance.zinc, copper, etc. The body 2 may be,'-if de- 'sired, cylindrical in shape, but I prefer to construct the same of greater section toward the iniddle point 3 and tapering'toward the ends. s shown in the drawings furthermore, the body 2 is of oval cross section.l

vThere thus provided a large surface'froin which the plating metal may be dissolved by the electrolytie action during the plating process.

The nature and value of the present in-' vention will be apparent from the foregoiiig description thereof. dien an aiiode of such construction is used, the metal of the body 2 is dissolved into the electrolyte in the usual iiianner and this action, by reason of the diminishing cross section towards the ends of the body, terniinatcs simultaneou'sly tliruout the length of the anode, and when virtually all of the plating metal vhas been ronsuined; tlius preventi-ng waste. When the plating metal has been entircly consumed the core l may be reinoved and the body 2 renewed thereon. lt will lthusI be seen that in the foregoing construction l have provided a. simple, etlicieut and eco-:l

EDWIN M. BECK. 

